What To Do When People Sing You Happy Birthday

Posted on 23 April 2015 by Mabel Kwong

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When you’re the birthday person and people sing Happy Birthday to you, it can be an awkward affair.

You might feel uncomfortable to be the centre of attention when the birthday song is sung to you. You might be horrified when people surprise you with a birthday party and burst out in song.

No matter what language the song is sung in, you might struggle to compose yourself during the tune: do you stare at the cake with candles, then stare at the singing people, and then stare at the cake again?

The faster we finish singing Happy Birthday, the faster we can eat the cake | Weekly Photo Challenge: Early Bird.

I’m not big on celebrating birthdays and have never thrown myself a birthday party. Each time my friends suggest they throw me a birthday bash, I insist I won’t turn up to it.

However, in the past I’ve had to put up with a few surprise birthday parties and, that song.

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Singing The National Anthem: What Does Advance Australia Fair Mean?

Posted on 19 March 2015 by Mabel Kwong

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When it comes to proudly singing and talking about our national anthem Advance Australia Fair, Australians are divided on this. Some of us are proud of our national anthem, and some of us not so proud.

Melbourne Central clock. Puts on a show and plays Waltzing Matilda on the hour | Weekly Photo Challenge: Wall.

I went to pre-school in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne and don’t remember singing Advanced Australia Fair except at assembly on Fridays. After pre-school, I moved to Malaysia and Singapore for more school. Some years ago, I returned to Melbourne and finished my last years of high school here and my classmates and I never had to sing the anthem at assembly.

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Why We Like Music

Posted on 10 April 2014 by Mabel Kwong

Last Saturday, I went to see Irish-rock band Kodaline at The Prince Bandroom. I felt very excited queuing up outside the venue of the standing-room show and almost burst with excitement when I scored a place at the front of the stage.

It’s always an impatient yet exciting time waiting to see a concert, a concert of a lifetime | Weekly Photo Challenge: Threshold.

While waiting for the band to jump out on stage, Kodaline fans swarmed around me, shoulder to shoulder. We were all here to see one band, to enjoy the same songs. It got me thinking: why do we like music so much? So many of us listen to music in the car. When we study. When we’re sitting at home.

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How I’m Inspired To Call Myself Asian Australian

Posted on 10 October 2013 by Mabel Kwong

A few months ago, I got to meet the person who inspires me to call myself Asian Australian and be a writer – dancing violinist, Youtuber Lindsey Stirling. I was very lucky and managed to chat with Lindsey before lapping up her energetic performance at The Corner Hotel in Melbourne.

I never expected to look up to her. Her non-lyrical blend of music which is a mixture of classical and dub-step musical genres is (was) not my cup of tea; I’m not a fan of club-esque beats. One day while taking a break from writing an article, I chanced upon her Zelda Medley video. Being a video game nut, I curiously looked up interview clips of her on YouTube and was immediately drawn to the optimism radiating from her personality.

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